Differential mechanism



2 Shee'ts-Sheet 1 Filed April 13, 1940 .bk. 0 m a a n N 5 M a a A M/ k N 2 r 4 5 L. 3% a 9 r -lmyr k4 .6 z p. g .2. M. 4 a 1 4 a? M y -41 1|... 5 :m w w vl- Z a i a fla 4% g I a 4 4 Z L? w ,3. m M/ 1.

.Jan. 20, 1942. G. SLIDER DIFFERENTIAL MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 13, 1940 11v VENTOR ear 5Zz 4 en; Mfidfiz 17% A TTORNE Y5- Patented Jan. 20, 1942 DIFFERENTIAL MECHANISM George Slider, Detroit, Mich assignor to Chrysler 7 Corporation, Highland Park, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application April 13, 1940, Serial No. 329,401

3 Claims.

This invention relates to an axle structure and more particularly to a differential mechanism for an automobile driving axle.

An object of the invention is to provide a differential casing formed in twoparts to permit easier machining of the internal bearing portions and to separate the parts in a plane spaced from the axis of the difierential pinion pin.

Another object of the invention is to provide a connection between the two parts which may be screw threaded and to provide a screw' thread which is not sell centering and which withstands a maximum thrust in one direction, namely the direction of separation of the two parts.

A further object of the invention is to provide spur gears for the differential pinions and flat faced gears for the differential side gears.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will more fully appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view through an automobile driving axle housing with the opposite outer ends of the axle broken away.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the axle taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the difierential pinions in mesh with one of the dinerential side gears.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a modified form of differential pinion mounting,

and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

- Referring to the drawings, the axle housing comprises a carrier housing Ill and tubular end portions i2 bolted to the carrier by bolts 14. The rear end of the housing has an opening l8 adapted to be closed by a cover plate l8 which is bolted or otherwise detachably secured to the tubular members i2. The tubular members l2 areintegral and constitute the well known banio housing. A driving pinion 20, integral with pinion shaft 22 is journaled in bearings 24 which are supported in the carrier It. An oil seal 26 is pressed in the end of the carrier l8.

The differential housing 28 carries a ring gear 30 which is detachably secured to the differential housing 28 by bolts 32 and positioned for driving engagement with the pinion 20.

The differential housing 28 is ioumaled in bearings 34 which are carried by the carrier Ill. Split collars 36 .are detachably secured to the adjustable rings 38 position; the bearings 34 axially. The rings 38 are screw threaded in the collars 36. A buttress thread is provided between the rings 38 and the'collars 36 to obtain maximum thrust for a given size thread. The thrust being in one direction only, namely, outwardly from the diflerential mechanism, the buttress thread is desirable.

The differential housing 28 is formed in two parts. The one part 40 is provided with a bearing receiving sleeve 4|, a ring gear receiving flange 42 and a cylindrical portion 44 having its outer end open and internally threaded as shown at 46. An unthreaded bearing portion 48 is located outwardly beyond the threads 48.

The other part 49 is made in the form of a cap having an outwardly extending sleeve 58 and a radially extending flange 52. The outer periphery of the flange 52 is screw threaded as at 54 for threaded engagement with the threads 46. An axially extending flange 56 has its outer periphery machined to accurately flt the bearing portion 48 to position the part 48 in proper relation relative to the part 40. An outer radially extending flange 58 is formed on the end of the flange 56 to engage the outer end of the cylindrical portion 44.

The screw threads 46 and 54 are of the buttress type and by their use two results have been accomplished. Maximum thrust for a given thread size has been obtained and the threadsare not self centering as in the ordinary V type thread. This latter result permits the bearing portion 48 to center the part 49 with the openings in the bearing sleeves 42 and 58 in proper axial alignment.

The part 40 serves as the main body portion of the difierential case and has its inner portion machined to receive the two differential pinions 40 so and one of the differential side gears 62. By

carrier ill to hold the bearings 34 in position and be providing an open end in the cylindrical portion 44 tools may be easily inserted for the purpose of machining bearing seats 64 and 66 for the pinions 80 and side gear 62. These bearing seats 64 and 66 may be machined flat as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 or they may be machined cylindrical as shown in Fig. 4.

The side gear 82 is provided with a hub 88 wh ch is journaled in a counter bore III of the differential housing 28. The axle shaft 12 is splined in the gear and is rotatable therewith.

The back face of the gear bears against a bearing member 15.

The difierential pinions are iournaled on a pin it which is received in diametrically disposed I claims.

I. The pin is held in position by a transversely extending pin I! which is received in an opening 84 in the cylindrical portion M. The opening is counterbored to receive the pin '2 and at the outer end a smaller opening II is provided to insert a knockout tool for removing the pin 82. The pin" is inserted from the open end of the cylindrical portion 44 and is held in position by the inner face of the cap 4!.

The other side gear CI is formed the same as the gear "and receives the axle shaft 80. The gear 88 is held in position by the cap 49. v

The axis of the pin I8 is spaced from the open end of cylindrical member 44 so that its axis is not in the plane of the parting line of the two parts 40 and 49. This adds to the rigidity of the parts and increases the strength over constructions where the differential casing is split at the axis of the pin.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3 the side gears 62 are flat face and-the pinions 60 are straight spur gears differing from the usual bevel gears commonly used for differential gearing. This permits increased strength because the gear teeth can be made larger than the usual bevel gear construction for-a corresponding size gear.

'Ilclain r, 1.. An axle assembly comprising a differential carrier, a driving pinion iournaled in said carrier, a differential housing joumaled in said carrier, a

driven gear carried by said differential housing for driving engagement with said pinion, said differential housing comprising a cylindrical member having an integral face bearing at one end-and being open at its opposite end, oppositely In the form of the invention shown in Figs.

4 and 5 the bearing face for the pinions 60 is machinedcylindrical with a washer 92 between the pinion 60 and thecylindrical portion 44' of the part 40. The washer 92 has one face formed cylindrical to fit the cylindrical bearing and its opposite face formed flat to flt the flat end of the pinion 60.

A backing bearing 84 is carried by an adjustable screw 96. "The bearing 94 contacts the back face of the ring gear 30 at a point where the load is applied from the-pinion 20. A look nut 98 holds the screw in adjusted position.

The adjustable rings 38 are held in adjusted position by members I" which are detachably secured to the collars 38 by bolts I02. The members I00 are provided with projections I which enter one of a series of openings I06 in the rings 38 it will be understood that various changes including the size, shape and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit of disposed face bearings on the inner surface of the cylindrical member of said differential housing, a removable cap for the open end of said differential'housing having a face bearingin spaced relation to the face bearing at the one end of said differential housing, straight spur gears bearing on the face bearings on the inner surface of 'the cylindrical member, flat face side gears bearing on the face bearings of said differential housing and said removable cap in meshed engagement with said spur gears, and axle shafts driven by said side gears.

2. A diflerential mechanism comprising a differential housing having an end wall and a cylindrical portion integral with and extending at right angles to said-end wall, the outer end of said cylindrical portion being open and having its inner periphery adjacent the open end threaded, a cylindrical bearingsurface adjacent said threads, a cap having "a portion of its outer periphery threaded for screwthread engagement with the threads of said housing and another portion formed with a cylindrical bearing surface for fitting engagement with the cylindrical bearing surface of said housing, axially aligned bearing supporting sleeves, one on said housing and one on said cap, differential gearings within said cylindrical portion, and axle shafts extending through said sleeves.

3. A differential mechanism comprising a differential housing having an end wall and a cylindrical portion integral with and extending at right angles to said end wall, the outer end of said cylindrical portion being open and having its inner periphery adjacent the open end threaded,

- a cylindrical bearing surface adjacent said threads, and a cap having a portion of its outer periphery threaded for screwthread engagement with the threads of said housing and another portion formed with a cylindrical bearing surface for fitting engagement with the cylindrical bearing surface of said housing, said screwthreads I being of the buttress type and not self centermy invention and it'is not my intention to limit its scope other than bythe terms of the appended ing whereby said cap is centered with respect to said housing solely by said cylindrical bearing surfaces.

GEORGE SLIDER. 

